SOUTHEAST ASIAN MARITIME GIANT

Portuguese chroniclers, most notably Tomé Pires and Gaspar Correia, were indeed struck by the scale and craftsmanship of the vessels they encountered in Southeast Asia, particularly the Jong (or Javanese junk).

The "Leviathans" of the East

When the Portuguese arrived in the early 16th century, they found that the maritime technology of the Malay-Javanese world was not just comparable to their own—it often exceeded it in terms of sheer size.

• Size Comparisons: A standard Portuguese nau (carrack) of that era typically displaced around 400–600 tons. In contrast, the largest Javanese Jongs were recorded at 700 to 1,000 tons.
• The "Flor de la Mar" Incident: During the conquest of Malacca in 1511, Afonso de Albuquerque encountered a Jong so large and reinforced that the Portuguese cannons reportedly had little effect on its hull. It took sustained effort and luck to eventually capture it.
• Construction Techniques: Unlike European ships of the time which used iron nails, Southeast Asian builders used multiple layers of planks (sometimes up to four layers thick) fastened with wooden dowels. This made the hulls incredibly resilient against the rocks and reefs of the archipelago.

Key Differences in Maritime Engineering

Feature	Portuguese Nau	Malay/Javanese Jong
Hull Fastening	Iron nails/bolts	Wooden dowels (Palu)
Planking	Single layer	Multiple layers (Up to 4)
Rudders	Stern-post rudder	Lateral (side) rudders
Primary Use	Exploration and heavy cannon fire	Massive cargo transport and troop movement

Why aren't they more famous?

While these ships were giants of the sea, they were built for the specific trade winds and waters of the Archipelago and the Indian Ocean. As the Portuguese introduced ship-mounted heavy artillery as a primary naval tactic, the European style of ship—designed as a floating fortress—eventually gained a tactical edge over the cargo-heavy Jongs.

Furthermore, the decline of the great maritime sultanates and the shift toward land-based power (and colonial monopolies) led to the gradual disappearance of these massive wooden behemoths.

It's a testament to a highly sophisticated "Golden Age" of Southeast Asian seafaring that often goes unmentioned in Western textbooks.

TOM PIRES ACCOUNTS

In his seminal work, Suma Oriental (written between 1512 and 1515), Tomé Pires provides a meticulous breakdown of the trade routes that these massive ships—primarily the Javanese Jongs—dominated.

Pires observed that the Malay Archipelago was the "hinge" of world trade, and these giant vessels were the engines moving goods between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

The "Spice Route" Nexus

Pires describes a highly organized network centered on Malacca, which he claimed was the most important city in the world at the time. The giant Jongs operated primarily along these corridors:

• The Java–Malacca Route: This was the most frequent "super-highway." Javanese Jongs brought massive quantities of rice (the staple food that sustained Malacca) and exotic spices (cloves and nutmeg) from the eastern islands to the Malacca entrepôt.
• The Maluku (Spice Islands) Run: Pires notes that the ships traveled from eastern Java and Bali toward Banda and the Moluccas. They traded cotton cloths from India (obtained in Malacca) for the highly prized nutmeg, mace, and cloves.
• The China Connection: While smaller vessels handled local coastal trade, the giant Jongs were used for the long-haul journeys to Canton (Guangzhou). They carried pepper, incense, and elephant tusks, returning with silk, porcelain, and pearls.

Geographic Distribution of Trade

According to Pires' records, the trade routes were dictated by the Monsoon winds, which the Javanese and Malay sailors had mastered:

Region	Primary Commodities Carried	Vessel Type
Western Route (to India/Red Sea)	Spices, silk, and porcelain	International "ships" and Jongs
Central Route (Java/Sumatra)	Rice, pepper, gold, and camphor	Large Jongs (Javanese)
Eastern Route (Maluku/Banda)	Cloves, nutmeg, and mace	Large Jongs and Penjajabs

Key Observations by Pires

Pires was particularly impressed by the Javanese pilots and merchants. He noted that:

• Monopoly of Skill: The Javanese controlled the navigation to the "Spice Islands." Pires mentions that without Javanese pilots, it was nearly impossible for outsiders to navigate the complex reefs and currents of the eastern archipelago.
• Trade Hubs: He identified the north coast of Java (the Pasisir), including ports like Demak and Jepara, as the primary ship-building and logistics hubs for these great vessels.
• The "Gores": Pires also mentions a mysterious group of traders called the "Gores" (often identified by historians as Ryukyuans or specific Japanese traders) who used similar large-scale shipping routes to connect the archipelago to Northeast Asia.

Pires famously stated, "Whoever is lord of Malacca has his hand on the throat of Venice," referring to how these trade routes, serviced by these giant ships, controlled the flow of wealth to Europe.

Google Gemini AI

2/2/2026: 12.30 p.m

Would you like me to detail the specific commodities Pires listed as being traded between Java and the Sultanate of Malacca?